Education
 Ph.D. in Political Science, UH Manoa, awarded with distinction (2013)
 PBSCE-SS, University of Hawaii at Manoa (2000)
 Ph.D. program in Chinese History, University of California at Los Angeles (1992-1995)
 Fulbright Scholar, University of Helsinki, Finland (1990-1992)
 B.A. with Honors Political Science and East Asian Studies, (1986-1990)

REQUESTING MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO AMEND FEDERAL LAW TO ENSURE THAT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL ASSAULT WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE FORCED INTO ARBITRATION AND SILENCE INSTEAD HAVE ACCESS TO THE COURTS.

REQUESTING CONGRESS TO CONVENE A LIMITED NATIONAL CONVENTION UNDER ARTICLE V FOR THE EXCLUSIVE PURPOSE OF PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION THAT WILL LIMIT THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN OUR ELECTORAL PROCESS.

URGING THE GOVERNOR'S COORDINATOR ON HOMELESSNESS AND THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO COME TOGETHER AND PRIORITIZE THEIR HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS IN THE AREA SURROUNDING THE HAWAI‘I CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY CENTER BY CONVENING A TASK FORCE.

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO SUBMIT A REPORT DETERMINING A LIVING WAGE STANDARD FOR AGRICULTURAL WORKERS LIVING IN THE STATE.

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO INCREASE COMPLIANCE WITH THE VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS FOR AGRICULTURAL LANDS AND TO PREVENT ABUSE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND LEASES.

REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT LEGISLATION REMOVING CANNABIS FROM THE FEDERAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT AND FACILITATE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF PRIVATE BANKING SERVICES FOR CANNABIS-RELATED BUSINESS.

REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS TO THE MAUNA KEA SUMMIT DUE TO ITS ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE TO THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE.

RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATE'S POLLINATOR SPECIES, THE THREAT THAT SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES POSE TO SUCH SPECIES, AND URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO TAKE MEASURES TO LIMIT POLLINATOR EXPOSURE TO NEONICOTINOIDS.

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO REPORT ITS CURRENT USAGE AND PLANS FOR FUTURE USAGE OF GLYPHOSATE AND GLYPHOSATE-CONTAINING HERBICIDES ON AND AROUND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROPERTIES, INCLUDING SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUNDS.

URGING THE STATE BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES TO CONSULT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE DIRECT TRADITIONAL, CULTURAL, AND FAMILIAL TIES TO THE DISTRICT OF PUNA TO ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE NAMES FOR THE FISSURE 8 VENT AND OTHER FEATURES OF THE 2018 ERUPTION OF KILAUEA VOLCANO.

REQUESTING THE WILLIAM S. RICHARDSON SCHOOL OF LAW TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND REPORT ON A LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM FOR LAW STUDENTS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN HAWAII.

URGING THE CONVENING OF A TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES AND MEANS OF FUNDING AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR AND HELP MAINTAIN THE HAWAII WILDLIFE CENTER FACILITY AND HAWAII'S ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.

REQUESTING MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO AMEND FEDERAL LAW TO ENSURE THAT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL ASSAULT WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE FORCED INTO ARBITRATION AND SILENCE INSTEAD HAVE ACCESS TO THE COURTS.

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO SUBMIT A REPORT DETERMINING A LIVING WAGE STANDARD FOR AGRICULTURAL WORKERS LIVING IN THE STATE.

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO INCREASE COMPLIANCE WITH THE VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS FOR AGRICULTURAL LANDS AND TO PREVENT ABUSE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND LEASES.

REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS TO THE MAUNA KEA SUMMIT DUE TO ITS ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE TO THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE.

RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATE'S POLLINATOR SPECIES, THE THREAT THAT SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES POSE TO SUCH SPECIES, AND URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO TAKE MEASURES TO LIMIT POLLINATOR EXPOSURE TO NEONICOTINOIDS.

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO REPORT ITS CURRENT USAGE AND PLANS FOR FUTURE USAGE OF GLYPHOSATE AND GLYPHOSATE-CONTAINING HERBICIDES ON AND AROUND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROPERTIES, INCLUDING SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUNDS.

URGING THE STATE BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES TO CONSULT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE DIRECT TRADITIONAL, CULTURAL, AND FAMILIAL TIES TO THE DISTRICT OF PUNA TO ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE NAMES FOR THE FISSURE 8 VENT AND OTHER FEATURES OF THE 2018 ERUPTION OF KILAUEA VOLCANO.

REQUESTING THE WILLIAM S. RICHARDSON SCHOOL OF LAW TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND REPORT ON A LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM FOR LAW STUDENTS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN HAWAII.

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES AND MEANS OF FUNDING AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR AND HELP MAINTAIN THE HAWAII WILDLIFE CENTER FACILITY AND HAWAII'S ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.

REQUESTING THE LEGISLATURE TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS THE ECONOMIC GROWTH POTENTIAL OF INVESTING IN GREEN INDUSTRY INITIATIVES.

Representative Amy Perruso is a longtime resident of District 46's beautiful Launani Valley and Wahiawa communities. A teacher at heart, her endeavor to educate our children has taken her around the world, from California to Shanghai to Finland and, finally, to Mililani High School, where she taught social studies for the past 14 years.

Representative Perruso previously served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Hawai'i State Teachers Association. She was also a member of Gov. David Ige's Every Student Succeeds Act Team, which crafted a blueprint for the future of Hawai'i's public schools.

Representative Perruso has been a Fulbright Scholar and finalist for the Gilder-Lehrman National History Teacher of the Year Award. When she's not working for her community, Representative Perruso enjoys preserving our 'aina, surfing, and spending time with her family.

May 8, 2019

Wahiawa General Hospital to Launch ‘Stabilization Program’ for Mental Health

Wahiawa General Hospital is teaming up with the state to offer mental health servivces to high-needs
patients, especially the close to 600 homeless people suffering from severe mental illness across the
Hawai'i. Hundreds more are struggling with substance addiction.

The hospital is planning to repurpose unused space on its second floor for the program, creating around
40 beds for people in need of mental health and substance abuse treatment. Advocates hope the program
will deliver the mental health and addicition services that houseless individuals and families need to
obtain permanent shelter and financial security.

Whitmore Community Food Hub Complex Enviromental Assessment Is Open For Comment

A Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the Whitmore Community Food Hub Complex has been prepared pursuant to the State of Hawai‘i EIS law (Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Chapter 343) and the State of Hawai‘i EIS rules (Hawai‘i Administrative Rules, Title 11, Chapter 200).

To submit a comment regarding the Whitmore Community Food Hub Complex, please provide your contact information and enter comments at the link below. Contact information is necessary to ensure that you receive a response to your feedback. Comments are due by April 22, 2019.

DoubleTree by Hilton Alana Waikiki Beach hotel workers organized a public action in their hotel lobby in early March, demanding respect from management, safe workloads, and a fair process to decide whether to unionize.

Rep. Amy Perruso, a long labor leader, said, "I think all workers have the right to unionize and are better off if they’re unionized. It’s important to me that there be a fair process for these workers to decide whether to unionize, that there not be any retaliation against the workers. The community is committed to making sure that all workers are fairly supported,” said State Representative Amy Perruso."

Climate Action Plan Public Meeting Series (Central O'ahu)

The Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency invite you to the Climate Action Plan Public Meeting Series
(Central O'ahu) on Wednesday, December 12, 7:00pm at the Mililani High School Cafeteria. For more information visit:
https://bit.ly/2FGOw2n.

Hurricane Lane and Olivia show that climate change is already having profound impacts on O'ahu and we need to chart a
new path.What is your vision for a resilient, fossil fuel free future for our island?

We invite you to learn about O'ahu's first climate action plan, engage in a "game" that helps kick-start a discussion
about how best to cut our emissions, and chart the next steps for our island.

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